Legendary
by ValxLoka
Summary: In the world of Pokemon, there exists an unique type of Pokemon trainer-Legendaries. These trainers are an elite breed, chosen by Legendary Pokemon through a unique and mysterious bond, they are rumored to be immortal. Can these Legendary Trainers stop the darkness that now threatens their beloved world? OC based.
1. Origins

Hello! Val here! The following story "Legendary," is a joint, collaborative story between myself and my dear friend Loka. The Pokemon, regions, and general aesthetic are basically the same, except the majority of the characters are our OCs. Each chapter will generally be from a different character's POV, and will be written by either myself or Loka. This is a story that we've been working on for awhile now, and we hope you enjoy!

**-Val**

**Disclaimer: ** We own none of the affiliated Pokemon franchise, just our OCs!

Name: Aria McNamara

Region: Johto

Trainer Type: Legendary; (Suicune)

Pokemon Team: Suicune, Swampert, Dewgong, Gyarados, Kingdra, Vapereon

**Aria**

"So where are you heading next?"

Aria McNamara blinked and looked up from her book, her pretty silver eyes falling on her brother as he sank down onto the couch next to her. He studied her carefully, tilting his head slightly as he did so, his blue-green eyes meeting hers unblinkingly. To any other person, the almost scrutinizing way in which he regarded people would have been a bit unnerving, intimidating even. But to Aria, it was just Ryden.

"I was thinking of heading over to Sootopolis to check out their festival," Aria replied, closing her book and placing it on the coffee table in front of her. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on her knees. "I've missed it the past few years, and I think it would be nice to go."

Ryden nodded. "It's not my cup of tea, but I could see why you might be drawn there," he replied. "Perhaps you'll even meet one of our region's premiere Legendary trainers—I've heard Aleksandr Frey often frequents such events."

"Kyogre's trainer, right?" Aria asked, reaching up to brush a shock of her bright blue hair out of her face. "Doesn't he have a younger brother?" She'd heard of Aleksandr before, but hadn't meant him yet. To be honest, she hadn't met many of the Legendary Trainers outside of Johto or Kanto. Rumor had it, Kyogre's Trainer was one of the more sociable Legendary trainers, and had no qualms with venturing through the realms and mingling with regular trainers. Most Legendary trainers preferred a bit more solitude, herself included.

"The one and the same, and yeah, he does. Although," he said, pausing briefly, "If Aleksandr is there I'm sure Groudon's trainer is bound to show up as well." An unreadable expression crossed his face, and Aria gave him a faint grin.

"You're not a fan?" she asked.

Ryden snorted. "No. But it's more than that, really. Anna and Aleksandr have a very…complicated relationship. It can cause some tension between the two of them and, Rayquaza's trainer, Wyatt Edington. Not to mention some tension in the Elite Four here as well."

"Hm," Aria hummed, biting her lower lip. "I don't think I want to know. Either way, it will be nice to head out there. I've never seen another region's Legendary ceremonies outside of Kanto or Johto."

Ryden sighed. "No, you haven't." There was something behind his words, and for a moment Aria considered calling him out on it, but decided to leave the matter alone. "But I think it would be a good idea for you to go. You need to be around other people, Ari." This time, the meaningful look he gave her was very obvious.

"Yeah, you're one to talk," Aria said, raising her eyebrows at him slightly.

"I'm alone because I hate most other people," he deadpanned. "_You're_ alone because you're scared."

Aria made a face at him. "Yeah yeah yeah. I swear, if you start out on how being alone is doing me more harm than good, Cam already beat you to it," she informed him, referring to their brother Cameron.

"Yes, well, in an incredibly rare occurrence I'm going to have to agree with him," Ryden said. "He's actually not wrong."

"That's what I keep hearing," Aria sighed, unfolding her legs and pushing herself to her feet. "Fine, you win."

_This is a terrible idea. Let's go home. _Aria said through her telepathic link with her Legendary Pokemon.

_We will not._

Suicune's voice was a burst of melody and color through her mind, reminding Aria of a gentle summer storm, and despite her fears, she felt herself relax.

_Can't we just observe from afar?_

_We cannot._

Aria sighed, continuing to walk along that path that led to main sector of Sootopolis. It wouldn't have been hard to find even if she hadn't already known the way, considering the amount of people flowing in steady throngs toward where the Festival of Origin was already well underway. _Fine. _ Aria sent back, and ignored the burst of color that was Suicune's slightly smug reply. _Have you seen Ryuu, by the way? He's been uncharacteristically quiet lately... _She asked instead, her gaze flicking out to the center of the city, which was just a large crater filled with sea water, and currently clogged with boats, Pokemon and people.

It took her a moment to spot him, gliding expertly through the water, weaving between the boats and Pokemon with ease. Aria's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, and she started toward the water front. A burst of color blossomed in her mind, and she sighed internally. _Yes, of course he's up to something. He's always up to something. _ She said to Suicune, her gaze flitting across the water filled crater, coming to rest on another, slightly larger, Gyarados. This Gyarados was floating close to the shore, watching the crowd warily.

_He likes that Gyarados._ Suicune supplied. _ I think he means to make her acquaintance. _

_Wonderful._ Aria sighed. _I can't wait to explain that to the Gyarados' trainer...'hey, sorry my Gyarados so rudely intruded in your Pokemon's space. He just can't help himself.'_

Suicune's response was a gentle laugh through her mind, and Aria resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _You've been incredibly helpful, thanks._ She sent back.

A sudden commotion caused Aria to stop and look up as a surge of people rushed toward the edge of the water, talking excitedly. She retreated to the outskirts of the crowd to avoid being trampled, her gaze sweeping out toward where everyone was gathered. She heard a sudden burst of song, something vaguely familiar in it's hauntingly beautiful melody, though she couldn't quite place where she knew it from. _Kyogre._ Suicune said, just as the massive whale-like Pokemon sprang from the center of the crater, flipping through the air before crashing back into the water, sending a surge of water hurtling toward the crowd. It broke against the sea-wall, sending a iridescent spray of water over the people gathered there.

_I can see that. I suppose that means his trainer is around here somewhere too. _ Aria blinked and tore her eyes away from the spectacle, instead focusing on finding her Gyarados before he undoubtedly caused some sort of mayhem. It didn't take her long to spot him again, gliding every closer to the female Gyarados whom Suicune had pointed out, and she paled slightly, starting to push her way back through the crowd.

More concerned with where her beloved Gyarados was going than where she herself was going, she hardly noticed the rest of the commotion around her until she broke through the crowds of people and collided rather jarringly with someone, causing her to stumble back slightly. Luckily, that someone reached out to steady her, and as she looked up, she felt her eyes widen slightly, the color draining from her face. "O-oh I'm so sorry," she said in a rush. "I wasn't even paying attention to where I was going…"

"It's alright." The man who she had collided with smiled down with her, and it nearly took her breath away. He was incredibly handsome, with hair the color of sunlight, and warm eyes that reminded her of the open ocean in their brilliant blue-green hue. She blinked a few times-he looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. His smile practically lit his face, but as he continued to study her, his brow furrowed slightly. "Do I know you?" he asked, echoing her same thought.

"N-no I don't think so," Aria replied, straightening as his hands slid from her shoulders. "I'm Aria."

"Aleksandr Frey," the man said, extending a hand, which she accepted after a moment's hesitation. "But you can all me Lex, all my friends do," he added with a shrug.

"Frey? You're Kyogre's trainer, right?" Aria asked, and Aleksandr smiled again.

"That's right. Are you sure we haven't met?" he asked, studying her carefully. A warm burst of color flowed through his mind, and he understood then—this was Suicune's trainer, and another Legendary trainer, which was why she seemed so familiar.

"No, not formally. I'm Suicune's trainer," she confirmed. "Do you have a brother?" she asked, tilting her head slightly at him.

An expression of surprise flickered across his face, and he grinned at her again. "Yes, actually. How did you know that?"

"You said your last name is Frey…my brother's boyfriend has the same last name. Bryan Frey? He has a brother who's a Legendary trainer; I assumed that was you."

"Ah, you're Aria McNamra," Lex said, nodding. "I've heard a bit about you too," he said, starting to walk along the water again, Aria falling into step beside him. "You've another brother in Hoenn's Elite Four—Ryden, the ghost type trainer, right?"

Aria nodded smiling up at Lex. "Yeah. I was just visiting him, actually. I try to come out to see him when I can…our brother-Cameron-and I still live out in Johto, so it can be hard being away from each other all the time."

Lex nodded. "I can understand that. Bryan works and lives out in Johto too, so it can be hard seeing him at times. Plus he's always traveling around somewhere when he's not stationed in Johto. So you're a water type trainer then, right?"

Aria blinked as she realized that he was looking at her, really looking at her with an open and genuine interest, and she ducked her head, a flush rising to her cheeks. A wash of color filled her mind, highlighting the amusement Suicune felt at her and Lex's exchange. Aria ignored him. "Oh, yes. Mudkip was actually my first Pokemon."

"No way!" Lex said, his expression brightening again. "Mine too. It's so nice to meet another water type trainer...and a Legendary Trainer at that."

"Yes, it is," Aria agreed, smiling despite herself. It was hard not to smile when Aleksandr smiled, and she realized why he was so well known, and so beloved, around the regions-his energy was practically magnetic. It was easy to talk to him too, she found. That surprised her-generally she was much more introverted.

"I take it that's your Gyarados?" Aleksandr asked, nodding to where Ryuu was now hovering a short distance away from the other female Gyarados.

Aria flushed heavily again. "Yes...and that's your Gyarados I take it?" she asked, indicating to the female Gyarados who was regarding Ryuu warily, her teeth slightly bared, and Lex nodded.

"Yep. That's Alcyone. Don't worry about her though, she's generally a bit grumpy, especially around new people," Lex told her. "He might want to keep his distance, though."

"Uh...yeah, I'm sorry about Ryuu. He's too friendly for his own good sometimes..."

_Ryuu likes her, Alcyone. _ Suicune sent.

_Yes, of course he does._

"So what brings you out to Sootopolis, Aria?" Lex asked, reaching up to pat Alcyone when she glided over toward him. She pointedly ignored Ryuu, and Aria grinned faintly when Ryuu in frustration.

"The festival actually," Aria replied, pushing her blue hair out of her eyes. "We've never been before."

"Yeah, it's pretty raucous this year, but I hope you're enjoying it somewhat," Lex said, dropping his hand as Alycone withdrew and turned her attention to Aria.

"It's...interesting. A bit overwhelming with all the people, at least for me," she admitted, holding still as Lex's Gyarados lowered her head slightly to study Aria. "Hello, beautiful," she murmured, smiling brightly. "I apologize for my boy over there...he can be a bit rude sometimes. He thinks you're beautiful too, he just is a dork about how he shows it."

Lex grinned as he watched Aria and Alycone's exchange. Alycone rumbled softly at Aria, nudging her lightly with her massive head. "She accepts your apology. And I think she likes you," he told her, as his Gyarados pulled back and turned to glide back out toward the center of the crater.

Aria gave Lex a slightly nervous laugh. "I'm glad. She's beautiful."

Lex was about to reply, when Aria's phone started to ring. "Oh, I'm sorry," she told him quickly.

"Don't worry about it," Aleksandr assured her, waving. Aria smiled at him, and pulled out her phone, glancing at the screen. _Iona._

"Hey, Iona," Aria said, pressing the communication device to her ear.

"Aria! Hey!" the familiar voice said on the other end of the phone. "Sorry to bother you."

"It's not problem. What's going on?" Is everything okay?" Aria asked.

"Listen, so Maeve just randomly showed up on the Whirl Islands and said, in her very cryptic Maeve-like way, that Professor Oak is calling Johto and Kanto to a meeting. She wanted me to call you to and ask if we could both head to Kanto, and to Professor Oak's lab. Apparently it's important; she's already contacted Kai, Nathan, and Sam."

"I see…" Aria said, her brow furrowing. "What about…?"

"Xavier? Oh yeah, he'll be there too. But don't worry, you can hang out with Kai and I," Iona said, and Aria felt a small swell of relief at her words.

"When's the meeting supposed to be taking place?" Aria asked.

"Next week, on Monday," Iona answered her. "So in eight days. The professor wanted to give everyone ample time to get their affairs and such in order, and allow for travel time too. Apparently he has some meetings of his own as well."

"Meetings? Hm. I suppose this is important then. Alright, I'll be there."

"Great. It will be good to see you again. And maybe we could even-oh you've got to be kidding me," Iona said, sounding faintly irritated.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked, frowning slightly.

"You're fucking brother and his boyfriend are caught in the whirlpools here...Skytreader told me there was some sort of breach at the Island's north end. I just got here and it's fucking Cameron and Bryan."

Aria bit back a grin. "Of course it is," she said.

"Stop laughing!" Iona snapped. "Now I have to go save their asses from drowning on my god damned islands."

Aria cleared her throat. "Good luck with that. I'm actually talking to Aleksandr Frey right now, at the Festival of Origins..."

"Yeah well, tell him his brother is a fucking moron too. Gotta go...See you soon, Ari."

"Everything alright?" Alekdandr asked once Aria had hung up, and she nodded.

"Professor Oak wants to meet with the Legendary Trainers from Johto and Kanto next week, and that was Lugia's trainer, Iona, calling to let me know," she told him. She stifled a laugh. "And apparently Cameron and Bryan breached the boarder of the Whirl Islands, and are caught in the whirlpools there."

"Why am I not surprised," Lex sounded faintly exasperated.

"You'd think we'd be used to it by now," Aria said, grinning faintly.

"Surprised? No. Used to it? Almost." Lex brightened slightly. "But, hey, you know what, I was actually going to head to Johto to visit my brother anyway. Now, especially. If you're going back to Johto, we should travel there together, I'm sure it would be much more fun," Lex suggested. "You can stay at my place for a couple days if you don't have anywhere else, if you'd like. I have a house out a few miles on one of the islands bordering the region."

"Are you sure?" Aria asked, hesitantly. "I wouldn't want to impose or put you out."

"Of course," Lex said, waving his hand. "It's just me out there, and it's one of the bigger islands so there's plenty of room for our Pokemon too. The way out there is beautiful too-I think you'll like it."

"Oh, well alright," Aria said, smiling slightly. "Thank you. We would appreciate that."

They continued to walk along the water front, chatting and enjoying the festivities. Sometime later, they drew up on a large dock, and came to a stop. Aleksandr glanced at his watch. "Well, they'll be having a light show in a few hours. We can hang around for that if you'd like, or we can head back to my island. The festival can be a bit overwhelming, so I'm not sure how you're feeling."

Aria smiled slightly at him. "I could be good with either, but the light show might be nice to see."

"Light show it is, then," Aleksandr grinned at her. He was about to say something more when a earth-shattering roar shook the city, startling Aria and many of the other patrons as well. When she looked over at Lex, Aria noticed that he didn't seem surprised, although his expression had darkened considerably.

"What's wrong?" she asked, raising her voice slightly over the din of the crowd. "What was that?"

"That would be Groudon and her trainer," Aleksandr replied in a low voice, a voice edged with something Aria couldn't quite discern. "Hey, listen, if it's alright, I think it might be best if I leave. You're welcome to hang around her for a bit, but I would much rather not be here when they show up. I can come back for you later, if you decide to stay."

There was another air-shaking roar, and Aria glanced from Lex, to the rim of the mountains surrounding the city. "Oh, I think I'll come with you, if that's alright. Things seem to be getting a little...hectic around here, and I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be."

"Let's go then," Lex said, grinning at her as Alycone lowered her head and allowed her trainer to climb up on her back.

Aria didn't hestitate to follow after him when Ryuu did the same.


	2. Guardian of the Sea

Hey! Loka here! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! :-)

**Disclaimer: **We don't own anything from the Pokemon franchise. Only our OCs.

Name: Iona Mclane

Region: Johto

Trainer Type: Legendary (Lugia)

Poemon Team: Lugia (Skytreader), Delphox (Delphi), Espeon (Epsilon), Metagross (Zeta), Noctowl (Loptr), Nidoking (Hero)

**Iona**

Trespassers to the Whirl Islands were generally few and far between. Those who did risk it generally attempted to fly there; only fools tried to surf or swim, and, yet, Iona found Bryan Frey and Cameron McNamara doing just that. Trying and failing. The two idiot scientists were expecting a mantine to be able to traverse Skytreader's whirlpools? Insanity.

_They will drown if we do nothing._ Skytreader thought to her, shifting his great wings anxiously. Iona sighed, running her hand along the legendary pokemon's scaled side as she moved to a position where she could more easily climb onto his back.

"We're not going to let them drown." Iona said aloud to him, climbing up and sitting astride his neck once he leaned down to let her up. Skytreader didn't need any prompting, and took to the sky with his characteristic, musical call. They could hear the shouts of the other people who had, wisely, chosen to stay on the boat as they caught sight of the legendary pokemon in the sky. Iona did her best to ignore their thoughts, though it was difficult; they were loud and panicked. She winced at the intensity of it, but managed to push them back so she could focus on the situation at hand.

Skytreader didn't need to be commanded to use his power to lift the mantine, and the two men on its back, out of the whirlpool and to the safety of the relatively calm waters beside their research vessel.

"You're not supposed to be here," Iona called down to the scientists, who had decided to return to the boat. It took them a moment to answer her; they were too busy staring dumbly at the legendary pokemon hovering over them.

"We just want to observe the wild pokemon living here," Bryan answered, finally. "We didn't mean to disturb you, or Lugia."

Iona didn't know Bryan or his partner, Cameron, particularly well. She only knew Bryan by reputation, and was much closer with Cameron's older sister, Aria. They were both known for being reckless fools, though, and boy had they proved it.

_What harm will it do?_ Skytreader asked, snaking his long neck around in order to look at the woman. _You intended to take time to visit with Samuel in Ecruteak City anyway, did you not?_

Iona eyed Skytreader for a short moment before rolling her eyes and relenting. Skytreader hummed, pleased with her decision, before turning back to look at the boat and, more importantly, the whirlpool that blocked access to the islands. His violet eyes glowed blue, briefly, and the swirling waters began to calm. It was only moments before it was safe for the boat to proceed. Skytreader and Iona followed the scientists as they made their way to the island, landing on the shore once they reached it. Iona slid down from Skytreader's neck though she made no attempt to approach the boat, or the research team disembarking from it, preferring to stay alongside her pokemon.

"Trespassing in a legendary pokemon's territory is stupid and dangerous," Iona said to Bryan and Cameron when they approached her, before they could so much as open their mouths to speak. "Not every legendary has a trainer, and not every legendary trainer is as friendly as I am. You should both know better."

"You're right!" Cameron said, sounding too cheerful to have taken the warning seriously. "Sorry. I thought about asking Aria to ask you if it was okay to come, but we didn't think you'd say yes."

"Normally you'd be right, but we're leaving for Ecruteak today anyway. We'll probably be gone for a few days, at least. You can observe the pokemon on the island and in the caverns, but the Inner Sanctum of the islands is off limits. I'll know if you went in there, so don't."

"No problem! Off limits, got it," Bryan said distractedly, raising the camera he had hanging around his neck and snapping a picture of the legendary pokemon and his trainer. He lowered the camera and, as if suddenly remembering his manners, gave Iona a remorseful look. "Sorry, you don't mind, do you? I'm hoping to do a study on the legendary trainers. We already have pictures of Aria with Suicune and Lex with Kyogre."

"I don't care, just stay out of the inner chamber," Iona said, before turning and walking away from the two men. The sooner she could get away from the research team the better; she preferred the islands when they were quiet. _I'm going to grab some stuff, Skytreader then we'll head for Ecruteak. Sound good?_

_ Whatever you wish, Little One. I will be here._

* * *

Ecruteak was one of the few cities Iona actually enjoyed visiting. It was serene and quiet. Even the usual cacophony of thoughts and feeling that often accompanied a visit to any other city seemed muted here, as if some power made it easier for Lugia's trainer to be at ease there.

Sam had told her to meet him at his house there in city, instead of at the Tin Tower, where he normally spent most of his time, which was a bit odd, but Iona thought little of it. Where she met him didn't particularly matter, she just wanted to see him.

The residents of the ancient city seemed a bit more animated than usual, though they still stopped to offer a nod or bow of respect to Iona and Skytreader as they landed in the street outside of a quaint little home close to the remains of the Burned Tower. Samuel Abernathy stood outside waiting for her, flanked by his houndoom, Mal, and the legendary pokemon Entei, who his trainer called Vesu. Once Iona and her espeon, Epsilon, slid down from Skytreader's back, Sam greeted Iona with a blinding smile and a tight hug.

"Ona! I'm glad you could come," he said as he released her from the hug. He reached over to give Epsilon a scratch behind the ears when the espeon mewed at him. Iona smiled back at Sam; It was hard not to smile with him. His pleasant demeanor was infectious.

"Me too! What's going on around here, Sammy? Everybody seems unusually busy."

"Oh, they're just having a little spontaneous ceremony. For Ho-oh, I think," Sam said quickly, seeming to brush the topic off. "I'm boiling water for tea! Come on in and we'll catch up."

"Okay…" Iona studied Sam for a brief moment, brow furrowed, before turning to look up at Skytreader. "You think he'll be okay to wander the city?"

"Of course! Nobody's going to dare bother the Guardian of the Sea in this city," Sam said with a dismissive wave. Iona hesitated, still, until Skytreader turned his violet eyes to her and thrummed reassuringly.

_I will be fine, Little one._

_ Alright…let me know if anything happens, okay?_

_ Of course._

Satisfied, for the moment, Iona followed Sam and Mal into the house, with Epsilon perched on her shoulder; Vesu stayed outside, perhaps to spend time with Skytreader, though Iona couldn't be sure unless she asked.

"So what happened with that girl from Blackthorne City? I haven't seen you since you were supposed to meet her…"

"Oh, we just, uh, we didn't click," Iona said vaguely, taking a seat at the table while Sam went into the kitchen to get the tea pot. Espilon hopped off of her shoulder and sniffed at the small box of cookies sitting open on the table, which as already set fr afternoon tea.

"What? It sounded like you two were hitting it off! What happened?" Sam asked as he came back into the room. Iona just shrugged, watching as Sam poured the tea into her cup, and then his own. It was dark in color, and smelled strong.

"Honestly? I just…of all the other fire type trainers I know, only one of them is reliable," Iona said, giving her friend a pointed look across the table. Sam just nodded, quick to understand what she meant.

"I get it, though I thought you and Kai started talking again?"

"We do, kind of. Doesn't really change what he did," Iona said, fidgeting with her tea spoon. She reached out to pet Epsilon's soft fur, comforted by the pokemon's presence. "Just seems to me that fire types have a tendency to run when the going gets tough, present company excluded."

"I understand why it might seem like that, but what happened with Tom and Kai…losing Laura and Aurora…it's different. You know?"

"No, I don't know. I can't even begin to comprehend it, but that doesn't make what they did right. They abandoned us, both of them. I haven't even _met_ Tom. How long has he been gone now? Fifteen years?"

"At least Kai came back," Sam offered, always looking for the silver lining. Iona just sighed.

"Did he, though? Sure, he physically returned, but when's the last time he actually did anything a legendary trainer's supposed to do? Has he even said anything to you since he came back? I know he hasn't spoken to Aria. It's not fair that we're expected to guard Johto alone. There's just the two of us now; Aria almost never comes home."

"Can you blame her?"

"No, I don't blame her. But we can't all run. Too many of us have done that already."

"We've done alright for ourselves," Sam said, pausing to take a sip of his tea. "And you're coming along quite well, regardless of the absence of Tom and Ho-oh. I have a feelings things are going to start looking up, anyway."

"You always feel that way," Iona pointed out. Sam just offered her a bright smile.

"And I'm almost always right! You should drink your tea, before it gets cold."

Iona took the cup of tea in her hands, savoring its warmth for a moment before taking a sip. She was glad that she'd decided to take a few days in Ecruteak before they journeyed to Kanto for the meeting. She was certain she'd need to be mentally prepared for whatever was going on; the legendary trainers rarely came together, unless there was something major happening.

She did sincerely hope it was nothing bad. They'd taken too many serious hits already.


	3. Time Heals All Wounds

Hi hi, Val here! Welcome to Chapter 3 of 'Legendary!' We hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: We own nothing of the Pokemon Universe, only our OCs!**

Name: Maeve Muir

Region: Kanto

Trainer Type: Legendary; (Mew)

Pokemon Team: Mew, Alakazam, Raichu (Alola Form), Gardevoir, Metagross, Delphox

***Maeve***

Nathan Anderson sat at a long desk at the back of Professor Oak's lab, working diligently on his latest project. It was getting late, the early evening sun glowing orange through the windows of the lab, but Nathan didn't seem to notice. He never really seemed to notice how much time passed when he was well engrossed in one of his projec_ts._

_I was thinking about heading to that little restaurant in Viridian City that we like so much, the one with the noodle bowls? _ Maeve Muir's voice drifted gently through Nathan's mind, bringing him back to reality and the present. Zapdos' trainer blinked and looked up from his work, smiling openly when his warm brown eyes fell on Maeve.

"Oh, hello Maeve," he said. "I didn't even hear you come in."

"I know," Mew's trainer replied, the smile that she gave him lighting her eyes. "Did you want to come with me?" she asked, tilting her head at him slightly, reminding Nathan of Mew. As if on cue, the little psychic Pokemon drifted toward him, nuzzling his check gently before plopping down on his shoulder, her tail flicking absently.

"Hello to you too, Pip," he chuckled, using Maeve's nickname for her beloved Pokemon. He reached up to run his hand down Pip's soft fur, and she purred back at him fondly. "And it's a tempting offer, Maeve," he said, setting down the communication device he'd been working and stretching slightly. "But I think I'll stay here and finish this up, if that's alright."

"Of course it is. You're the alterations on our communication devices?" Maeve asked, interest lighting her green eyes as she drifted over to look.

Nathan grinned, holding the device up. "Yep. Once I'm done with these modifications, we should be able to communicate with each other across all the regions, at any time."

"That will be nice," Maeve said with a nod. "It can be hard being so far apart from each oher sometimes…Plus it will make communication between the other regions much easier.

Nathan grinned at her, excitement lighting his eyes. "Exactly!"

Maeve laughed softly, looking at Nathan with open affection. "I can bring you back something if you'd like. You haven't eaten all day." It wasn't a question—she already knew that he hadn't. Aside from being relatively unware of the passing time, Nathan often neglected to eat when was immersed in his work. Fortunately, he had Maeve.

Nathan gave her a sheepish look. "No, I haven't," he admitted. "That would be great, thanks, Mae." He reached over and caught her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze, to which she responded by leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.

"See you soon," she said, squeezing his hand back before drifting away again, Pip in tow.

Name: Kai Takahaski

Region: Kanto

Trainer Type: Legendary; (Moltres)

Pokemon Team: Moltres, Ninetales, Arcanine, Charizard, Houndoom, Salazzle

***Kai***

Just past Route 41, beyond the outer banks of Cianwood City, a small island lay tucked away among the waves, almost nearly out of sight unless someone happened to be looking for it specifically. The seclusion and beauty of the remote island lent to it's appeal, and it was nearly untouched by human hands. It was the perfect place for a memorial.

Kai Takahashi stood on that island, in front of a small, yet beautiful, shrine. His dark eyes were trained on a name engraved in the small plaque set into the base of the sculpture, his expression a mixture of sorrow, regret and longing. He didn't glance up when he felt the presence of another person behind him; he knew who it was without having to look.

"You're stalking me now, I see."

"I don't need to stalk you to figure out where you'll be," another voice said, mildly amused .

"No, I suppose you don't," Kai sighed. He did glance up however, when a small cat-like Pokemon drifted over to the shrine, chirping mournfully as she gazed with turquoise eyes at the memorial. "Hello, Pip," Kai said, lifting an arm so that she could come to perch there. Pip settled herself comfortably on his forearm, looking up at him with an expression mixed with empathy, concern, and faint disapproval. No one had ever quite mastered such a perfect balance of those emotions as Mew and her trainer. "If you're here to lecture me, Maeve, I—"

"I'm not here to lecture you," Maeve gently interrupted him, coming to stand beside the other trainer. She was silent for a moment, staring sadly down at the shrine in front of them, her green eyes full of emotion. "Things are not good," she finally said after some time, her voice soft. "The regions are fractured, the young trainers lost and without stable guidance. Xavier and Sam no longer see eye to eye…"

Kai scoffed. "Did they ever? _No one_ sees eye to eye with Xavier, except maybe Aria."

"Aria is hardly in Johto anymore long enough to have the chance," Maeve reminded him. "And when Iona is not running from region to region on some mission or another, she is hiding out at the Whirl Islands. Both Aria and Iona see to their duties, but I worry about the intensity of Iona's growing abilities. And when Aria is here, she reaches out less and less to the rest of us, save to report on the things she seen to across the realm."

"Funny, this seems an awful lot like a lecture," Kai said dryly, although there was an obvious amount of guilt in his dark eyes.

"I am merely pointing out what you have missed, in your absence," Maeve replied, her voice without judgement. If anything, that made Kai feel even worse. Maybe it was her ability to read minds that lent to her understanding of those around her, to well of empathy, or maybe that was just the type of person that Maeve was.

"I came back. I'm not sure what else you want me to do, Maeve," Kai replied.

"Fix what you've broken."

***Maeve***

_Maeve stood in the inner sanctum of the Whirl Islands, her hands clasped in front of herself as she gazed down at the shrine there. "I have not been by in awhile," she said regretfully into the silence of the massive cavern, the distant echo of dripping water the only sound to be heard. "Things have not been going well…they are falling apart faster than Sam and Nathan and I can put them back together…I managed to find Tom and to convince him to return. Kai will return too, but I do not know if it will be enough to fix what is broken."_

_Maeve bit her lip, closing her eyes for few brief moments. "I…miss you. It has been more difficult than I have realized with you gone. You were my best friend, and when you-" Maeve froze suddenly, acutely aware that she was no longer alone, and her heart skipped a beat in her chest._

_"I always thought it was remarkably peaceful here," a voice said softly from behind her, interrupting the serenity of the moment, and of the place. Despite herself, Maeve felt her blood run cold at the familiarity of that voice, and she suppressed a shiver. "Hello, Maeve."_

_Maeve turned slowly, stealing herself. She made sure her expression was carefully blank, that the walls were pulled up tightly around her mind. "Lyndon," she said, her voice uncharacteristically cool. "You should not be here."_

_"I thought this place was open to her friends," Lyndon replied, opening his hands toward her._

_"You were not her friend." There was an edge to Maeve's voice this time. The Legendary psychic trainer blinked, and suddenly Lyndon was standing directly in front of her. His eyes flashed, and before Maeve could react, he'd reached out and caught her face in his hand. She flinched noticeably, and Lyndon's mouth quirked up slightly at the corner. _

_"You thought you could hide from me behind Tom and Kai? That you would be so easily free from me?" he asked, his voice dangerously soft. He leaned in close to her, and in her fear and repulsion, she found that she couldn't move. "You __**belong**__ to me, Maeve."_

Maeve sat bolt upright in bed, her breathing ragged and the nightmare raw and fresh in her mind. The blankets were twisted tightly around her and she was drenched in sweat. Beside her, someone stirred. "Maeve?" Nathan asked, his voice thick with sleep and laced with concern. She felt him shift into a sitting position beside her, and could feel his worry and tension so strongly in her mind, it was nearly palpable. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Maeve took a steadying breath, and turned to look at him, forcing a shaky smile. "I 'm alright," she said, but there was no real weight behind her words.

Nathan knew her too well to be convinced. He frowned, and he reached for her, cupping her face with one of his hands. "You're shaking, Maeve."

"I…it was just a bad dream," she told him, leaning into his touch and closing her eyes. After a moment she opened them. "Can I talk to you about it later?" she asked quietly.

He smiled at her, running his thumb across her cheek. "Of course you can," he said. "Did you want to try and get some sleep?"

"Yes," she said, returning his smile wearily.

Nathan settled himself back against the pillows once more, and lifted an arm so that Maeve could press close to him. Once she was comfortable, her dropped his arm across her, and then reached over to take her hand with his free one. Maeve laced her fingers through his, resting her head on his chest as her heart rate slowed and her breathing returned to normal.

This was real, this moment, Nathan…the dream was not. Lyndon was far away and could not get to her. Tom and Kai were back. Lyndon would not come while they were here. Maeve could hear the steady, strong rhythm of Nathan's heart where her head rested on his chest, and slowly she felt herself begin to relax again. Her eyelids grew heavy, and when she slept this time, in her dreams she only saw Nathan.

***Kai***

Kai stood outside the Bell Tower, staring up at the massive structure. He sighed, his hands in his pockets. Maeve might have convinced him to return and to make his way here to Ecruteak City, might have stirred up his carefully buried guilt, and stoked his emotions with her empathy, but it didn't make the damned ordeal any easier.

_You are feeling sorry for yourself. _ The warm burst of color in his mind was like sun on a warm summer day. _Your friends have suffered too. You need each other._

He couldn't see his Legendary Pokemon, Moltres, but he knew she was nearby, watching. Apparently there had been quite a few Legendaries passing through the city as of late, and they hadn't wanted to cause anymore of a commotion. The city was positively bustling as it was, and Kai wondered just which of regions various Legendary Trainers had been around, aside from Sam. If Moltres knew, she wasn't saying.

_And if they don't forgive me? _

Kai could feel Blaise's disappointment in his mind, and he felt a twinge of regret. _You really think so lowly of them, after all this time?_

_The things I said, Blaise…_

_Will be forgiven, if that is what you seek._

_And what of redemption?_ Kai asked, a hint of bitterness in his mental voice.

R_edemption is something you must figure out together._

Kai sighed again and stepped forward to push open the door that led into the Bell Tower.

Sam Abernathy was busy setting about a new pot of tea for Iona's return, refreshing the sugar and milk, refilling the cookie tray. Epsilon sat nearby on a small cushion, watching him solemnly. Iona had excused herself to make a phone call, and had said she wouldn't be long. If he was being honest, he was glad for the few moments he had to himself—it would give him time to figure out exactly what to say. He turned to the sink to fill the pot, and when he turned around again, he nearly dropped the kettle in his surprise to see someone standing there in the doorway. It was not Iona.

"Hi, Sam," Kai Takahashi said.

**Well, that was Chapter 3! Don't forget to leave a review and let us know what you think! See you in the next chapter! ^-^**


	4. Prepare for Trouble

Here's the next chapter! Don't forget to let us know what you think. -Loka

**Disclaimer: **We don't own anything from the Pokemon franchise. Only our OCs.

Name: Samuel Abernathy

Region: Johto

Trainer Type: Legendary (Entei)

Pokemon Team: Entei (Vesu), Shiny Charizard (Talia), Camerupt (Loa), Turtonator (Talion), Volcarona (Val), Houndoom (Mal)

**Sam**

It had been a long time since Sam had seen Kai Takahashi, nearly three years, and frankly, he was surprised to see him standing there. The last time they had spoken, Kai had been heartbroken and angry, and had said some things that Sam had spent copious amounts of time actively trying to forget. It took him a moment to recover from his surprise. He placed the newly boiled pot of tea on the table.

"I'll set another place at the table," Sam said, turning to the cabinet standing against the wall behind him and pulling out another teacup and saucer that matched the ones he and Iona had been using. "I'm getting all sorts of visitors today. Iona's here with Skytreader and the rest of her team, obviously."

He motioned to where Epsilon sat watching the exchange, as proof of his statement. The espeon mewed at him, before turning his cool gaze on Kai. Mal, Sam's houndoom, looked at their visitor in much the same way from where he lounged by Sam's chair; there was an astonishing level of disapproval and judgment that pokemon could infer with little more than a glance. Sam found that they tended to remember slights against their trainers long after the trainers themselves had forgiven it.

"It's been a while." Kai shifted his weight, glancing around the room as he spoke. "How've you been?"

I've been alright," Sam answered pleasantly, shrugging his shoulders. "Been keeping busy doing my best to help Iona and Aria through their growing pains. I'm not Tom of course, could never hope to be, but I think we've been doing alright for ourselves. How about you, Kai? How's Blaise?"

"We're…alright." Kai wasn't generally known for going into detail about what was actually going on in his head, so Sam wasn't really surprised about his short answer. He wasn't the touchy-feely type; Iona had been like that too, when Sam had first met her. Very slow to trust, keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself. She'd grown a lot, but Sam could still see the similarities between Kai and her. "Look, Sam-"

"Apology accepted," Sam said simply, before Kai could even finish his sentence. He just put up his hand when Kai went to argue. "None of us were okay that day, Kai, and I blamed me too for a long time. I had to accept that nothing about what happened was normal and there was nothing any of us could have done to change it."

"But the things I said-"

"You were hurting." Sam placed his hand on Kai's shoulder, offering his friend a reassuring, and sympathetic, look. "I forgave you a while ago. Don't worry about it. Stay and catch up with Iona and me. She'll be happy to see you, too."

"Alright," Kai said after a short hesitation, giving Sam a small smile. "Alright, I guess I can stick around."

* * *

Sam stepped out of his house, glancing up and down the street before finally closing the door and heading out, his houndoom, Mal, hot on his heels. He'd managed to convince Kai and Iona to go spend time at the festival and he'd join them soon. He hated lying. He hated it, and he was generally awful at it, but in this case he understood the need. Neither Kai nor Iona would probably be happy about the return of Ho-Oh and her trainer, and Sam had agreed with Maeve that it would be best for everyone to find out together. Less chance of outbursts.

Of course, both Kai and Iona chose to visit with him not only while Tom and Ho-Oh were in the Tin Tower, but also on the day the citizens of Ecruteak decided to celebrate their return.

There was a burst of warm color in Sam's mind, reds and browns, and a small smile quirked his lips. _The Guardian and his human were going to find out before the meeting anyway,_ the thoughts and feeling from the legendary pokemon Entei conveyed. _I am surprised it has not already happened._

_ I wouldn't be surprised if Skytreader does already know,_ Sam thought back. _Vesu, are Kai and Iona still at the festival?_

_ For now._

_ Good enough for me. Let me know if that changes?_

_ As you wish._

Sam pushed the large ornate doors of the Tin Tower open, waiting for Mal to come in after him before closing them behind him. It was dimly lit on the first floor of the tower, but that wasn't surprising. Tom and Ho-Oh spent most of their time on the uppermost floors. Sam knew the layout well enough to climb through the tower easily.

He found Ho-Oh, who Tom called Sol, at the top of the tower, looking down on the city below. She acknowledged him with a quick glance and a chirp, before returning her attention the lights of the festival. There was a light scent of cigarette smoke, but it was old. The legendary pokemon was alone.

"Sol, where's Tom?"

Sol turned back to Sam again, her warm gaze seeming amused, though he couldn't tell outright. She shuffled her crimson wings and croaked at him before looking back down at the flickering lights of the festival below. Sam followed her gaze, realization coming over him.

"Oh, shit."

* * *

Name: Thomas Northman

Region: Johto

Trainer Type: Legendary (Ho-Oh)

Pokemon Team: Ho-Oh (Sol), Arcanine (Arild), Rapidash (Eldrid), Infernape (Koll), Talonflame (Alfrothul), Salazzle (Frida)

**Tom**

"Have you gone out to the islands, yet?"

Tom Northman glanced down at the little old woman he stood with, watching the Kimono Girls do their traditional dance for the legendary pokemon of Johto. She wore the same traditional outfit that they did. Her hair was done up the same way as well, and despite her age, she still carried herself with the grace and strength of a dancer. Tom turned his attention back to the performance.

"No, Sakura. I haven't."

"Avoiding Iona, hm? Silliness. You should take up the responsibility of your station."

"I don't need the lecture." Tom pulled a cigarette out of the open carton in his jacket, lighting it with little more than a thought. "I already got it from Maeve."

"And yet you've done nothing," Sakura chastised, looking up at him. The shook her pointed finger at the much, much taller man, entirely unintimidated. "You must get over your fear. She's a good hearted, strong woman. She's got spunk. You'd like her."

Tom simply grunted in response. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that this week, and he was tired of being lectured, regardless of the fact that he deserved it. He glanced around the crowd, avoiding the gazes of a group of women who were making eyes at him. He wasn't above entertaining, usually, but being back in Johto, in Ecruteak, put him in a bit of a dour mood. He couldn't as easily escape the memories, since he'd returned home.

"I'm sure you're right." Tom stuck his hands in his pockets, his gaze casting almost as much light as the torches and lanterns scattered through the city. He wasn't looking forward to meeting the girl Lugia had chosen. He hadn't seen the Guardian of the Sea since the death of his previous trainer and, truthfully, he wasn't certain he was ready.

_It doesn't matter. You've neglected your duty to the Guardian's chosen long enough._

Tom huffed at the golden-red plume of thought that bolted through his head, glowering over his shoulder at the looming silhouette of the Tin Tower.

_I don't remember asking you._

_ I don't remember caring,_ Sol answered shortly. _Oh, and you should know Samuel came here looking for you. He seemed concerned by your absence._

_ Am I not even allowed to leave my own fucking home, now?_

_ He doesn't seem to think the humans belonging to the Guardian or the First Flame will be pleased with your sudden reappearance. Or, rather, your long absence._

_ 'Spose I can't blame them for that._

"I'm getting a drink." Tom offered Sakura his arm. "You coming?"

"Have I ever not?"

"Not in the forty years I've known you," Tom said, laughing softly when Sakura hit him lightly before looping her arm around his.

"Quiet, sir, or you'll give away my age. Not all of us have the blessing of eternal youth."

"You've my sincerest apologies-"

Tom was interrupted by the sound of screaming. When he looked for the source, he found people running, and the glow of flames in the direction of the Bellchime Trail. Sol took flight from the top of the tower, her form casting bright light over the city as she circled, shrieking in rage. Somewhere nearby, a loud, haunting cry answered: Lugia.

"Sakura, can you make it back to the theater?" Tom asked, tearing his gaze away from the spectacle of Lugia's massive form gliding over their heads.

"I can manage," Sakura said, releasing a Tyranitar, which allowed her to lean against it for support. "Go."

Tom hesitated for a moment, before finally releasing his Rapidash, Eldrid, and pulling himself up onto her back. The crowd was quick to part and let him through as he raced through the city. He could hear the sounds of battling pokemon as he got closer, and more specifically, he thought he heard the distinctive roar of Entei.

Sam was in trouble.

* * *

**Iona**

"Sam?!"

Iona burst through the gates of the Bellchime Trail, and the first thing she noticed was the intense heat; many of the trees had caught flame, no doubt due to Sam and his team of fire types trying to defend themselves. It was difficult to see much of anything through the smoke, and it wasn't exactly easy to breathe, either.

_Skytreader, do you see him?_

_ I do not, but I see the Volcanic One. No doubt Samuel is nearby. There are water type pokemon approaching them; shall I attack?_

_ You see an enemy, you light it up. Also, do me a favor and warn Blaise and Ho-Oh that the attackers are water types?_

_ They are warned. _Only a moment after Skytreader's response, she heard him roar, and felt the air fill with static as a thunderbolt ripped through the night, nearly blinding her. Covering her eyes, she fumbled on her belt, counting the Pokeballs hanging there to find the right one. Delphi and Hero would be all but useless against water types; she was hoping to even the odds with Skytreader and her Metagross, Zeta.

Zeta rumbled once released, seemingly unaffected by the dense smoke as they thundered forward, towards the sound of battle. Iona did her best to follow them, using the loud impact of their footfalls to guide her. Another thunderbolt came screaming out of the sky, striking what seemed like a blastoise, though it was difficult to be sure through the smoke. Zeta picked up speed, sparks of electricity climbing up one of their front limbs as they struck a poliwrath, sending it flying into the burning treeline.

"Sam?"

"Iona!"

Iona rushed toward the sound of her friend's voice, and finally caught sight of him through the veil of smoke. He was on the ground, bleeding, a kabutops bearing down on him. Sam's dark skin seemed to give off a soft glow, and his eyes burned momentarily as he threw a bolt of fire at the oncoming pokemon. Kabutops being a rock and water type, the legendary trainer's flame did very little. Luckily, the enemy pokemon's attention was quickly drawn by a furious Zeta barreling toward it. The kabutops was unable to get out of the way of the metagross's thunder punch quick enough.

"Sam!" Iona hurried to Sam's side, pressing her hands hard against the bleeding wound across his abdomen. It seemed fairly shallow. "What the fuck happened?"

"They're playing dirty," he hissed. "Attacked me directly."

"Well, two can play at that game."

With Zeta standing protectively over the two trainers, Iona allowed herself to relax and closed her eyes. She spent most of her time trying to build walls to keep the thoughts of others from intruding in her mind, so it took her a moment to pull them down and allow her awareness to spread over the area. She expected to find Sam first, but while his energy was there, it was dwarfed by something else. Or someone? She'd never come across a presence so powerful before, outside of the legendary pokemon themselves. It was hot, angry, and raged like the surface of the sun.

_Not a threat,_ Skytreader's voice whispered in the back of her mind. So, despite being undeniably drawn to that burning presence, she pushed past it. She identified Kai, then, though he felt farther away. She passed over him as well. There. Three human presences, their thoughts hectic. They'd thought there would be only one legendary trainer in Ecruteak. The appearance of Lugia, Ho-Oh and Moltres rattled them, foiled their plan to take out Entei's trainer. They'd wanted Sam dead.

Iona opened her eyes, ignoring the way the world seemed to come to her through a filter of violet.

"Skytreader," she breathed aloud, knowing he would hear her. "Target the trainers."


	5. After Shock

**Hiya, Val here! Welcome to Chapter 5! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We own only our own OCs, nothing related to the Pokemon universe or otherwise.**

* * *

***Kai***

Kai leaped off of the back of his Arcanine, wiping sweat and soot from his forehead with the back of his sleeve. His dark gaze swept their surroundings, noting the singed and scorched earth, and charred trees. He sighed, feeling a pang of regret at nearly lighting up the entire city of Ecruteak in flame, but was relieved that they had managed to drive out the three water type trainers that had launched their attack on Sam. Clearly, they hadn't been expecting the presence of any other trainers as well. During the battle, he'd picked up on Iona's presence, and another as well.

One that was achingly familiar. One that he hadn't felt in a long time.

_It would appear I am not the only one who Maeve convinced to return here._ Kai sent to his Moltres, who was currently watching him from atop the tin tower. Ho-Oh had been there when the battle had begun, but had taken off just as it was ending. If Ho-Oh was back here in Johto, in Ecruteak, that meant that Tom was too.

_Perhaps you should go and find him. _ Blaise's mental voice was a burst of warm colors, like fire, through his mind. It was a comforting feeling, despite the uncomfortableness of his reunion with Sam, and what sure to be countless others to come.

_Unless he finds us first._ Kai sent as he glanced up to see a figure emerging from the cloud of ash and smoke that still choked the air around the city. It was Tom Northman.

***Maeve***

Maeve Muir sat on a large boulder in one of the inner caverns of Mt. Silver, her legs crossed beneath her, her hands resting lightly on her knees. Her eyes were closed, her breathing slow and even. Pip hovered nearby, her eyes glowing with an ethereal purple light.

_You have not told Nathan about your dream, yet._ Pip's voice was a musical burst of purple light through Maeve's mind.

_It was just a dream. _ Maeve sent back faintly. _He will worry, needlessly._

_He will worry because he loves you._ Pip told her. She tilted her head at Maeve. _And was it just a dream?_ _You do not seem so convinced, little one._

_I am just tired…_ Maeve sighed.

_The dreams make it hard to sleep._ Pip pointed out to her. _You wake feeling unrested. Perhaps they are more than just simple dreams._

_You are saying that these are visions of some sort?_ Maeve asked, and Pip flicked her tail.

_I am saying that they feel more real than dreams should, and that they are rather frequent. You should talk to Nathan about them. He at least will be more rational than either Tom or Kai._

_Tom and Kai would want to hunt down Lyndon themselves, and kill him the moment they had the chance. I would rather not travel down that path again…at least not when things seem to finally be on the way to mending once more._

Pip trilled sharply in disapproval, and as Maeve was about to respond, something tugged at the corner of her mind, an awareness of sorts, disrupting the serenity of her mediation. Her brow furrowed, but she remained inside of her mind for the moment. _Pip? Did you feel that?_

_Someone is here._

Maeve slowly opened her eyes, pulling herself back to reality and awareness, and blinked a few times. The purple light behind Pip's eyes faded, and her gaze met her trainer's. _Trainers? _ Maeve sent, frowning slightly. _But none we are familiar with..._

The Legendary psychic trainer pushed herself to her feet, stretching lightly and turning her attention to the entrance of the cavern they were currently occupying. It was odd that most any other trainer would be here, aside from her and Red, who resided at the very top of Mt. Silver. But he seldom came down. "They're coming this way," Maeve said aloud, glancing at Pip. "There's three of them."

_Dark types._

Unease stirred in the pit of Maeve's stomach, but she quelled it. "Maybe they're here to train? Or looking for Red."

_The path to Red is in the opposite direction._

"Well, they might be lost," Maeve said, the unease growing, making her chest tight. She closed her eyes briefly, reaching out with her psychic abilities to try and See the other four trainers who were steadily making their way toward the inner caverns. "That's odd…" Maeve said slowly, opening her eyes after a moment, her pretty face clouded with a troubled expression. "I cannot See them."

_There are few trainers who would be able to conceal themselves from your Sight._ Pip sent, her mental voice a flurry of purple sparks through Maeve's mind. _Dark trainers are not among them._

"I know."

_Shall I call Nathan?_

"He's—" a massive explosion cut Maeve off, throwing her back against the craggy cavern wall, where she slammed her head hard against the stone surface and crumpled to the cave floor. She lay there for a moment, disorientated and breathing hard. She was dimly aware of Pip flitting around her in concern, chirping anxiously, and she tentatively reached out through their mental link to let her Pokémon know she was alright.

It took a moment for Maeve to gather herself enough to be able to sit up, and as she did so, she blinked blearily. Her ears were ringing and her vision was swimming, but she automatically threw up a psychic shield around herself and Pip, her eyes scanning their surroundings. She felt something warm and wet tricking down her face, from just above her right eye, and reached up tentatively. She winced when her fingers passed over a large, ugly gash there, where blood was steadily oozing from the wound.

When Maeve could finally focus her attention on where the explosion had come from, her face paled slightly. Before them stood a Tyranitar, a Hydregion, and a Houndoom, and behind them stood three trainers—a woman and two men. The attack had come from the Tyranitar—Earthquake.

"Who are you?" Maeve called to the trainers. "What do you want?"

"We're here for you, darling," one of the men called back to her, sneering. He was tall and lanky, with greasy black hard and cold, beady brown eyes. "We're here to collect."

"Collect?" Maeve asked, her expression flickering as she shakily pushed herself to her feet. Her head throbbed and ached where she'd hit it against the wall, and she had to wipe some of the blood from her eyes, but she managed to focus on the opposing trainers.

"That's a nifty shield you've got up here," the other man said, ignoring her question. His eerie icy blue eyes shone bright in the dim light of the cavern, and her gaze raked slowly over her body in a predatory way. He reached down and plucked a stone from the ground, before tossing it toward Maeve's shield—it glanced off with a faint hiss. "Too bad it won't last." His glittering eyes flickered to the Tyranitar. "Dark Pulse," he commanded.

The Tyranitar responded with a bellowing roar and opened it's mouth wide, releasing a powerful burst of inky dark energy that shot straight at Maeve's psychic shield, causing the entire thing to shake violently where it struck. Pip's eyes glowed brightly once more as she lent some of her own psychic power to the shield, strengthening it.

The Tyranitar's eyes narrowed. "Dark Pulse again," he said.

"Houndoom," the woman said, pushing her white blonde hair over one shoulder. "Help 'em out with Foul Play."

Maeve reached for two Pokeballs at her belt, feeling the first true tendrils of fear creep into her heart as the Houndoom's Foul Play attack violently shook her shield again. She released an Alolan Raichu and Gardevoir, resolving to keep her Metagross and Alakazam in for the time being—they would be particularly weak against her opponents' teams.

_Pip…_ Maeve sent to her Pokémon, as the Hydregion unleashed a Brutal Swing attack on her force field. She winced as she felt the shock wave of the attack ripple through her shield and trickle into her abilities, piercing her mind. _Call Nathan._

Pip's eyes glowed brightly once more, and then abruptly that light dimmed once more. _I have sent the message. Nimbus will bring him. Hopefully they will arrive in time._

_I hope so… _ Maeve sent back grimly, trying to keep her mental voice calm as her Pokémon readied their defense.

The Tyranitar unleashed one more powerful Dark Pulse that, when powered with the Houndoom's Foul Play attack, shattered through Maeve's shield, leaving her and her team exposed. Maeve's green eyes showed the first hint of fear as her foes moved in, and beside her Pip chirped angrily and darted forward.

***Kai***

Kai stood in front of Tom, staring wordlessly at him, his expression unreadable. But then again, Moltres' trainer was seldom easy to read. Neither one moved, but Tom's glowing eyes met Kai's dark ones unblinkingly. There was the slightest hint of tension between the two Legendary trainers, but it wasn't clear who would be the first to break it. In the distance Kai could hear Sam and Iona, their voices growing louder as they drew closer. Sam certainly had some explaining to do…

Around the two fire-type trainers, smoke and ash drifted through the air, remnants from the battle they had just fought. The sun was just beginning to set, staining the sky a deep gold and red that seemed to glow with an ethereal light behind the thin screen of smoke. Kai felt his chest tighten, and he cleared his throat. His eyes were stinging in a way that had nothing to do with the smoke and ash, and he blinked them in irritation. "So," he finally said after that long time in which he and Tom regarded each other silently. "You're back."

***Maeve***

Maeve felt despair begin to settle in as she took a staggering step back, recalling her Delphox as it fainted before her. That made four of her six Pokémon, down and out—her Metagross, Gardevoir, Raichu, and her Delphox. The only two who remained were Pip and her Alakazam…both who were still standing but not for long.

"I do not understand…" Maeve said to the trainers, as her Alakazam managed to deflect another attack from the Hydregion. "Someone sent you to collect me? Who?"

"Someone willing to pay bucko bucks," Hydregion's trainer sneered. "They must want you terribly…and you can't think of anyone like that?" The Hydregion sent another Dark attack straight for Alakazam, and this time it met its mark. Maeve's beloved Pokémon gave a soft cry as it fainted and she recalled it to its Pokéball.

_Pip…what do we do? _ Maeve sent, her mental voice cracking slightly.

_We fight. _ Came Pip's response, calm and steady in her mind. _I will not allow them to take you, not while I am here._

_But we cannot—_

A sudden, earth shattering roar shook the cavern around them, causing the enemy trainers to flinch and recoil slightly, their wide eyes flashing to a space behind Maeve. When she turned, her eyes fell on another trainer standing at the entrance to a tunnel at the back of the cavern, his red hat pulled down over his face-it was Mt. Silver's mythical trainer, Red. Beside him was a Blastoise.

"Blastoise," Red said, his voice low and dangerous. He pushed his hat back from his eyes, his gaze fastening on the enemy trainers attacking Maeve. "Hydro Cannon."

Maeve was beyond relieved to see Red there, and he made short work of the enemies already weary and considerably weakened Pokémon. Once the battle was over, he recalled his team, and then gave Maeve a long, silent look, before tugging his hat back down over his eye and turning his back to her without another word.

"Wait!" Maeve called to Red's retreating figure, the sound of her voice echoing through the now still and silence rocky chamber making her wince. "Thank you," she said when he paused, but didn't turn around. Red didn't say anything in response, but merely gave her a short, curt nod, before disappearing down the tunnel.

_Come, little one._ Pip sent, drifting over to look at Maeve. _Nathan is nearly here._

Maeve gave one last glance up at the tunnel where Red had retreated into and then turned herself, following Pip back through the winding tunnels that led back out of the inner chambers of Mt. Silver. She blinked and winced when they left the caverns and chambers of the mountain and stepped into the bright sunlight.

After a moment or two, her eyes adjusted she looked up to see the approaching figure of Nimbus, Nathan's Zapdos. Relief washed through her, and she sank down to sit on a small boulder just outside the entrance to the main cavern of Mt. Silver, her head swimming slightly, her body now weak from the after effects of the rush of adrenaline from her injury and the battle.

She sighed softly as Nimbus and her trainer drew closer. Even from here, she could feel Nathan's concern.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed 'After Shock'! Don't forget to let us know what you think in the reviews below!**

**-Val**


	6. Return

**Disclaimer: **We don't own anything from the Pokemon franchise. Only our OCs.

**Tom**

Guilt. Guilt and shame. They struck Tom like a bolt of lightning when Kai spoke. The kid had always done his best to hide his emotions behind a stoic exterior, but they both knew Tom could see right through it. It's hard to bullshit a bullshitter.

"So I am." Tom could feel Sam approach them, with another person whose presence he wasn't familiar with. They weren't alone anymore. Tom gave Kai a small smile; it was all the time they were going to get, for the moment. "You look good, kid."

"Yeah. You too."

Tom turned his attention to the other two trainers that had joined them, giving Sam a quick once over. He was alive, which was good, but he was bleeding and bruised. Tom's eyes burned more brightly, and a wave of heat that had nothing to do with the dwindling flames of battle rolled over them.

"Who were they?" He asked, his voice tight with barely contained anger.

"Relax, Tom," Sam said quickly. Tom noticed the woman standing with him taking a step back, putting Sam between them. You would have thought he was a rampaging tauros, the way she was looking at him. He knew that look. It took the fuel from his fire almost instantly. Once Sam saw him begin to calm down, he continued. "I don't know who they were. They didn't exactly introduce themselves."

"Well, they're dead now," the woman said. She's come out from behind Sam, but still eyed Tom warily, and, if he was reading her correctly, angrily. She didn't seem to like him much. If she was who he thought she was, he couldn't exactly blame her.

"Yeah, I'd noticed. Not many trainers are willing to turn their pokemon against other trainers." Tom watched her grow immediately defensive, glowering at him and crossing her arms across her chest.

"Yeah, well, some of us didn't have the luxury of being able to live like that."

"Hey, stand down, Freckles, I'm not judging. I would've done the same. You just got around to it before I did."

"My name Is Iona," she said sharply. Tom just nodded.

"I figured. Come on, Sunshine," he said to Sam, brushing his hand across the other man's shoulder as he passed him. "Let's get you cleaned up."

He heard Iona call him a prick under her breath, and a small smile tugged at his lips. Sakura was right. He did like her.

* * *

Name: Nathan Anderson

Region: Kanto

Trainer Type: Legendary (Zapdos)

Pokemon Team: Zapdos (Nimbus), Zebstrika (Surion), Luxray (Kent), Raichu (Alia), Heliolisk (Kala), Manectric (Lani)

**Nathan**

"It's a good thing Red's always up there," Nathan said, leaning back to double check his stitch work. He'd always been better than Kai at first aid, and the tidiness of the stitches along Maeve's scalp looked good enough to be professional. "I wish you would let me take you to the hospital; you could have a concussion."

"I'm fine, Nate." Maeve smiled softly at him. "Besides, seeing a Legendary Trainer in this state might cause people to panic. We can't have any panicking."

"No, you're right. Especially considering Sam was attacked too. It's obviously not a coincidence. Just one more thing to discuss when we all meet." Nathan tapped Maeve lightly on the nose, dark brows raised over his soft brown eyes. "And no more lone forays into the wilderness. At least not until we figure this out."

"If it'll make you feel better."

"It will," Nathan confirmed simply as he stood, pulling his gloves off and tossing them in the trash bin; the Professor would make sure to dispose of them properly. He glanced at his phone; he had another message from Kai. "Good news: Sam's gonna be alright. It was only a flesh wound. Bad news: seems you might be wrong this tie, Mae. Iona very much seems to hate the Old Man's guts."

Maeve just gave him a small, knowing smile. She was never wrong.

* * *

Name: Anna McGowan

Region: Hoenn

Trainer Type: Legendary (Groudon)

Pokemon Team: Groudon (Gaia), Mudsdale (Epona), Steelix (Royale), Flygon (Melody), Torterra (Geb), Nidoqueen (Anastasia)

**Anna**

It had been quite some time since Anna had attended the Origin Festival at Sootopolis. She'd spent the last few years avoiding it; Aleksandr Frey and Kyogre visited the festival almost every year, and he wasn't exactly her biggest fan. She didn't like him much either, recently. He would surely be there again this year, but she decided to throw caution to the wind. It was a celebration for Gaia too, afterall.

Gaia rumbled, her response a mixture of warm browns and grays in Anna's head. Anna hummed thoughtfully at the legendary pokemon's thought. It was true that it had been several years since they had last seen Lex. Maybe he'd finally moved past their bitterness. Gaia let out another roar as she crested the top of the Sootopolis crater, and was answered the familiar bugle of their opposite, Kyogre. Groudon's appearance caused the storm clouds Kyogre brought with him to part, rays of warm sunlight dropping down onto the city.

Gaia looked down at her rival, floating there in the lake at the city's center, and shrieked a challenge, which the water type legendary answered with a shrill cry. Anna found Aleksandr astride his gyarados, floating close to the shore alongside another gyarados and its trainer. She frowned.

"They're running, aren't they? Well, might as well let them go, love. We wouldn't want to embarrass them."

Gaia grumbled, not entirely willing to let the feud go, which was understandable. She and Kyogre had been at each other's throats since the beginning, and this time Rayquaza and his trainer didn't seem to be around to stop them. The ground type legendary roared again as she came down the inner side of the crater, careful to avoid damaging any of the buildings as they entered the city proper. Kyogre called back again, but begrudgingly followed his trainer as he and the other trainer had their gyarados dive beneath the glassy surface.

"Coward," Anna muttered under her breath, before putting on a bright smile and sliding down from Gaia's back to join their adoring fans. The citizens of Sootopolis were eager to welcome them, something Anna wasn't so used to, anymore. Many of Hoenn's Elite Four had taken Aleksandr's side, and while Wyatt and Rayquaza were willing to interact with them, she knew they spent far more time with Lex and Kyogre. In essence, they'd chosen the other side as well. It would be nice to spend some time among people who basically worshiped the ground she walked on.

* * *

Name: Aleksandr Frey

Region: Hoenn

Trainer Type: Legendary (Kyogre)

Pokemon Team: Kyogre (Kaiju), Swampert (Fanndis), Gyarados (Alcyone), Lapras (Skadi), Tentacruel (Misrule), Milotic (Mithras)

**Aleksandr**

Aleksandr sighed once he and Alcyone surfaced on the outside of the Sootopolis Crater. He could still hear the sounds of the festival, and of Groudon, but the feeling of the sea wind and the cooling spray of the ocean was enough to lift his spirits. Hearing the sound of another gyarados, Aleksandr found that Aria McNamara and Ryuu had surfaced beside them. He smiled brightly at the other legendary trainer.

"I hope you don't mind the rain," Aleksandr said, motioning to the stormy sky that drizzled rain down on them. "It follows us wherever we go."

As if to punctuate his trainer's point, Kaiju stuck his great head out of the water ahead of them. He eyed Aria for a moment, then whistled loudly and vanished beneath the surface again. Aria laughed, pushing back some of her hair that had plastered itself to her face; it was quite a lovely shade of blue.

"I'd be an awful water type trainer if rain bothered me," she said, and Aleksandr couldn't help but smile. That was a fair point; he wasn't used to spending time with other water trainers, particularly ones on his level. Wallace of the Sootopolis Gym was the most powerful water type trainer he knew of in Hoenn, and he was…a bit odd.

"Fair enough! The islands are just a few miles out; on a clear day you could probably see them from here."

Aleksandr gave Alcyone a quick pat, and she began swimming out into the open ocean, away from Sootopolis. The sea grew ever deeper the farther they got from the city, and Aleksandr remembered a time when the endless stretch of ocean would have terrified him. He'd grown up in Sootopolis, and heard horror stories of people getting lost at sea, or eaten by wild ocean dwelling pokemon.

Things had changed, of course. He'd been chosen by Kyogre, and the ocean was his home. The one place he could go where he would, most likely, not be followed. The ocean was peaceful, untamable, and as he looked down at several wild mantine gliding alongside them, he felt the last bit of darkness that had followed him from Sootopolis vanish.

_Next time we should not run._ Kaiju's wave of thought brought Aleksandr out of his musings, and that little bit of darkness crawled back into his heart, like toxic sludge.

_They're not worth the trouble,_ Aleksandr thought back, catching a glimpse of Kyogre's shadowy silhouette as he glided through the water below them. _And we don't need you and Groudon starting another apocalypse._

_ I would never._

_Mhmm._

A flash caught Aleksandr's attention, and he glanced over to see Aria release a pokemon into the water; from the brief glimpse he got of it, it looked like a dewgong. His guess was confirmed when he saw the pokemon break the surface, dancing among the waves between the two gyarados. The dewgong trilled happily, flipping onto its back momentarily and looking up at him.

"That's Aurora," Aria called to him over the sound of the wind and waves. "She wanted to say hello."

"Hello to you too!" Aleksandr smiled as the dewgong twirled on the surface once more before vanishing back beneath the surf. Besides Alcyone and Kaiju, most of his pokemon were slower swimmers, so he intended to keep them safe in their pokeballs until they arrived back home.

It wasn't too much longer until Wingulls could be seen wheeling overhead, and the outline of a large island appeared out of mist ahead of them. Despite how much he enjoyed traveling, Aleksandr couldn't help the feeling of comfort that came over him at the sight of home. The remote island was the largest of a small chain. Most of it was covered in brackish marshland, and it had a lake cradled in the center of it. It was perfect for his various water type pokemon.

"Home sweet home," he said, mostly to himself, as they headed into the shallows. He could see his house sitting there just beneath the tree line at the edge of the beach. Everything looked undisturbed, just as he'd left it.

Once they'd crossed into the shallows, Aleksandr leaped off of Alcyone and into the water, popping back up to the surface alongside his gyarados. Treading water, he grabbed two of the Pokeballs he carried and released the pokemon they held. A Lapras and a large, imposing tentacruel appeared in the water, approaching to greet their trainer, and the newcomer they weren't familiar with.

"Aria," Aleksandr began, once the other trainer had joined him in the water. "I'd like you to meet my lapras, Skadi, and Misrule, my tentacruel."

"They're beautiful!" Aria seemed to light up at the sight of Skadi, in particular, and she didn't seem at all afraid of Misrule. "I've only met one other trainer with a lapras; I've heard they're hard to find."

Skadi coasted right up to Aria, lowering her head down to allow her to reach up and pat her snout. Misrule, meanwhile, eyed Aria silently, his eighty venomous tentacles floating around him like a deadly net. He then simply turned and began gliding away, heading for the deeper waters beyond the shallows. Aleksandr could feel Kaiju out there, as well.

"Yeah, you don't see too many in the wild, anymore. They're far too friendly for their own good." Aleksandr paused, and then motioned to Aria with a hand. "Feel free to let the rest of your pokemon out, if you want. Nobody comes out here, and with Kaiju just outside of the bay, no dangerous wild pokemon really come in."

Aria tossed two pokeballs, releasing a little vaporeon and a kingdra into the water with them. The little vaporeon swam up to Aria and rubbed against her affectionately. It then turned and fixed Aleksandr with a suspicious, narrow eyed gaze. The kingdra, on the other hand, swam right up to Aleksandr to check him out.

"This is Raena," Aria said, giving Aleksandr an apologetic look as she motioned to the vaporeon by her side. "She's a little skittish at first, but she'll eventually warm up to you. She was abandoned by her original trainer as an eevee before I found her, so she's slow to trust."

"No worries, my milotic is the same way. Your kingdra seems quite fond of people, though."

"Keeva's always been friendly." Aria smiled as Aleksandr gave the kingdra a bit of attention before he began swimming to the beach. Aria followed after him. Once he'd walked up onto the beach, Aleksandr turned and watched Alcyone dive beneath the surface of the bay, followed almost immediately by Aria's gyarados. A small smirk pulled at his lips; Ryuu was going to have a rude awakening if he bothered Alcyone too much.

"Come on," he said to Aria as she joined him on the sand. "I want to release the last of my team at the lake further inland before we head inside the house."

The two trainers hiked into the marshland, chatting to each other pleasantly until they finally came upon the lake at the center of the island. They had seen several species of wild Pokemon on their way through the marshes, and Aleksandr spent some time explaining that the lake was teeming with life as well. He plucked the last two occupied Pokeballs from his belt, tossing one into the lake, and the other into the marsh that ringed it. A beautiful Milotic surfaced from the lake, and a large male Swampert trundled toward them from the trees.

"And finally, here's the last of my team," Aleksandr said fondly as he motioned to the newly released pokemon. "Mithras, my milotic, and Fanndis, my oldest friend."

Mithras looked at Aria with glimmering red eyes, before barking once and vanishing beneath the smooth waters of the lake. Fanndis, on the other hand, was a fair bit friendlier and approached Aria looking for pats.

"I apologize if Mithras is a little cold towards you in the beginning." Aleksandr patted Fanndis as he spoke, watching as Aria fawned over the swampert. "Like I said before, he's not particularly trusting. I rescued him from Team Aqua, and after the abuse he endured at their hands he's not the friendliest at first. It can take him a while to warm up to strangers."

"Poor boy, I understand," Aria said. She continued to pat Fanndis with one hand, while reaching for her belt and releasing the last of her team. A swampert emerged, also a male judging be its size. The swampert came immediately up to him and nudged him with his head.

"Wow! That's the fastest I've ever seen Fen warm up to anyone," Aria said of her swampert.

"I tend to get along well with any swampert I meet," Aleksandr said pleasantly, giving Aria a bright smile. "Let's head in, then, now that everyone's settled? I stopped home with groceries before we went to the festival, so we can at least eat like normal people."

"That sounds great." Aleksandr watched Aria's cheeks take on a bit of color, but decided not to comment as they made their way back to the bath through the marsh. He was used to that reaction from people. It came with the territory of being famous and good-looking.

It wasn't too long before they were back on the beach, heading to the little house on the edge of the treeline. Aleksandr pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door, pushing it open. Flicking on the light as he walked in, the darkness retreated and the quaint little house was revealed. It was clean and tidy, which was odd for a bachelor's home. The decoration was standard beach house fare, but it was done simply, and fit the atmosphere of the little home.

"You have a beautiful home." Aleksandr heard area say as she came in behind him, closing the door. "You live alone here?"

"I do," Aleksandr answered, holding back a sigh. It hadn't always been that way, but life rarely remained stagnant. Even when stagnancy would have been preferred. "For quite some time now."

Before Aria could get a chance to comment on the change in his tone, which he was sure she'd noticed, Aleksandr turned and gave her another bright smile which, luckily, seemed to be enough to distract her.

"I do have a guest room here, though," he said, motioning to the door sitting a little farther inside, right off the living room. "You're welcome to put your stuff in there and make yourself comfortable. I'm gonna go ahead and start dinner; I'm starving."

It took Aria a moment to answer, she seemed preoccupied with staring at him. After a short moment she blinked, shuffled her feet and looked quickly away from him.

"Oh! Yes, er, thank you." She brushed her bangs out of her face. "I'll be right back!"

Aleksandr couldn't help the small smile that pulled at his lips as his guest hurriedly went to the guest room and disappeared inside. She was a cute little thing, though a little more reserved than most of the women he knew. Aleksandr dropped his bag on the couch as he walked through the dining room and into the little kitchen.

A wave of thought from Kaiju came to him as he pulled some fresh fish from the refrigerator, a brilliant burst of blues and greens that suggested that Aleksandr liked Aria. He rolled his eyes at the pokemon's accusation but smiled nonetheless.

_Of course I like her,_ Aleksandr answered. _Don't you?_

_ Not in quite the same way as you, _Kaiju's smug, teasing answer came. Aleksandr huffed.

_Shut up._


	7. Something Wicked

**Hey all! Here's the next part, hope you enjoy!**

**-Val**

**Disclaimer: **** We own nothing except our own OCs.**

***Aria***

Aria stepped into the guest bedroom and shut the door behind herself, leaning against it and sighing. Well, great...she'd made a _complete_ fool of herself just now, without even trying to. Although, she wasn't entirely surprised...it was kind of what she did. All of the time. She wasn't the kind of girl who'd ever been very good at being particularly charming or alluring…

She'd also never been great at talking to people, men and women alike, especially ones that she found to be in anyway remotely interesting or attractive. Aleksandr was _both_.

She scowled at the wave of blue and green from Suicune that washed through her mind. _No, I don't think I was endearing. And I'm sure neither did he._

_You're a lot more concerned with his opinion of you than you usually are with most other people we meet._ Suicune sent back, the wave of color followed by a burst of blue and green sparks, and Aria sighed.

_Well, he is nice enough to let us stay here after having just met us. Of course I want to make a good impression with him._

Aria crossed the room to set her things on the bed, quickly unzipping her pack. She rolled her eyes at Suicune's next response.

_Yes._ Suicune teased. _And you do seem to think very highly of him indeed._

_And what exactly is your point? _ Aria huffed, flushing noticeably. She began unpacking some of her belongings, setting them out on the small desk in one corner of the room, before pulling out a set of dry clothes. She quickly shimmied out of her wet ones, and slipped into her dry ones.

_You hope for him to be more than just a friend, is my point._

_I literally just met him. _ Aria replied. _Don't get ahead of yourself._

But something in the back of her mind, a soft, almost fleeting thought, stirred. There was something about Aleksandr Frey that drew her to him, like the tide of an ocean. She couldn't quite explain it, but it was there and impossible not to notice. She'd never quite had this reaction when meeting someone, and it surprised her.

Aria quickly dragged a brush through her now wild and untamed hair, willing it to smooth itself out, glancing at her reflection in the small mirror above the desk. She stopped abruptly and set the brush down on the little nightstand next to the bed—when had she ever cared about her physical appearance?

Aria opened the bedroom door and slipped out into the living room, crossing through and making her way toward where she assumed the kitchen was. She found it easily enough, along with Aleksandr, who was busy setting about preparing dinner.

"Can I start on anything?" She asked him, pushing a hand through her hair—a nervous habit.

Aleksandr turned the knob on his electric stove, seeming pleased when it came on without a fuss and Aria remembered how he had said it had been a bit since he'd been out here for an extended amount of time. Aria watched as he oiled the pan and then placed a couple of fish fillets on to cook, turning them once with a fork and adding a few spices to the pan.

"There's a new bag of white rice in the cabinet there, just right of the sink," Aleksandr said, glancing at Aria over his shoulder and flashing her a smile that made Aria's stomach flip. "If you want to start on that?"

"O-of course," Aria said, giving a slight nod and then quickly ducking her head so that she wouldn't once again be distracted by his smile.

Aria went to the cabinet and pulled the door open, finding the rice easily enough. She went to join Aleksandr at the stove then, moving the pot he'd already taken out for the rice onto the burner and turning up the heat. She carefully added some water, salt, and spices and then measured enough rice into the pan for both her and Lex.

"My dad was a sailor," Aria said when she felt Lex's gaze on her. "He loved the ocean, and sometimes when he was home he and my mother would take my brothers and sister and I sailing. Rice was a big staple of our diet since it's relatively cheap and easy to make enough to feed everyone—I probably know a few dozen different recipes for it as a result."

"Then I guess we're in good hands for dinner tonight," Lex replied with a grin, and moved to open the large window that looked out onto a view of the beach and the ocean beyond, in order to allow in the salty breeze. He blinked in surprise when a little blue form leaped in through the window and landed nimbly on the floor with a soft chirp. It was Aria's Vaporeon.

"Oh, hello," Aria said brightly, smiling affectionately down at her Pokémon. "I see you've finally decided to come in and say hello."

Vaporeon trilled softly at her and then trotted over to Aleksandr, sniffing at him cautiously and then reaching out to tap him gently with one small paw. After seeming to decide that he was worthy of trust, she leaned forward to rub against him affectionately.

"Hello little one!" Aleksandr said to the vaporeon with a grin, reaching down to give Raena a good scratch on the head. "You remind me of my dad's vaporeon. Though his was a bit darker blue."

Satisfied with the amount of attention she had received, Raena gave a large yawn and trotted to the edge of the kitchen so that she could curl up on the floor, content to watch the two trainers sleepily from afar.

"So, you said you have a sister too?" Lex asked, turning down the flame under the fish and flipping them once more with a fork. "What does she do?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Aleksandr saw Aria stiffen, her hands stilling where she had been busy stirring the rise. "Oh…yes, I had a sister too. Aurora," Aria started to say, her voice very quiet. "She was also a trainer."

Aleksandr didn't miss the way Aria referred to her sister in the past tense, nor did he miss the sudden change in her mood and her demeanor. _Oh. _Whatever the story behind Aria's sister was, it didn't sound good, and she didn't sound like she wanted to talk about it.

"Hey!" he said suddenly. "Have you ever been to Olivine City? I heard it's one of the largest sea ports in Johto."

Aria turned to look at him too, and for a moment their eyes met. He was changing the subject…most people would have continued to pry, or ask a million questions. But, she supposed that since they were no longer in Kanto or Johto, very few people would know about what happened to her sister.

Lex saw the relief that passed through Aria's silver eyes—they were a pretty color, he thought fleetingly—and noticed how her shoulders seemed to relax some when he changed the subject. For a moment, they just held each other's gaze, and Aleksandr realized that he didn't actually want to look away.

"I actually live there, in Olivine City," Aria finally said, clearing her throat and giving him a smile that reached her eyes this time. "It's pretty busy usually, but my favorite times are early in the morning, or late at night when everything is calm and serene. And the view from the lighthouse is beautiful when the sun sets."

"It sounds wonderful," Aleksandr replied with another grin, an almost wistful expression crossing his face. "I'll have to check it out the next time I'm in Johto."

"Maybe I can show you," Aria said excitedly, the words flying out of her mouth before she could catch herself, and she blinked in surprise.

"I think I might like that," Lex said, catching her gaze again and holding it.

Aria cleared her throat, flushing heavily once she realized that she had been staring at Lex, and quickly dropped his gaze. She turned back studiously to the rice. "Maybe next time then…" she mumbled, her face burning.

_He thinks you're endearing. _ Suicune sent.

_You don't know that…_

"Yes, next time," Aleksandr replied. She could hear the amusement in his words.

***Maeve***

"I figured that we could leave tomorrow morning for Johto," Nathan said, stretching lightly and glancing back at Maeve with a small smile. "That way you can rest a bit before the journey. I know it's not far, but we wouldn't want to chance anything."

"That's a good idea," Maeve said with a soft smile. "I can make us something for dinner in the meantime. What would you like?"

Nathan shook his head at her, coming over to take her hand and tug her lightly over to one of the plush couches in Nathan's living room. "No way," he told her, pulling her down next to him onto couch. "I'll cook tonight. You just relax, okay?" He reached out to cup her face gently, and then rose and made his way toward the kitchen.

"You don't have to work on your experiment?" Maeve asked, glancing at Pip as she floated over to perch lightly on the arm of the couch.

"I can take a break for you, Maeve," Nathan called over his shoulder, disappearing into the kitchen.

_You should tell him now. _ Pip sent, tilting her head at Maeve and flicking her trainer on the arm with her tail. _Unless you would like for me to tell him?_

_No, no. I will tell him. _ Maeve sighed and stood up from the couch, following Nathan into the kitchen.

"Nathan…" Maeve said, coming to stand next to him at the stove, where he was busy getting out various pots and pans for their dinner. "There's…there's something I need to tell you…"

"What's up Maeve?" Nathan asked, glancing at her. He frowned at her expression, and put the pot he'd been filling with water down on the burner, before turning to face her fully. "Is everything alright?"

Maeve looked up him, her green eyes troubled in a way that Nathan hadn't seen in quite some time. He felt an icy shiver go up his spine, and he reached out to take Maeve's hand. "You can tell me," he said quietly.

Maeve sighed softly. "I have been having these dreams lately," she said. "But I am not sure if they are actually dreams…I never feel fully rested once I have woken from them, and they feel so real, it is almost as if I am actually living them."

"Do you think they might be visions?" Nathan asked, feeling his heart kick up a beat. He remembered that last time this had happened, and the implications of what it could mean cast a feeling of dread over the room. The feeling was so heavy, it was almost palpable.

"Pip thinks so."

"What are they about?" Nathan asked slowly.

Maeve was silent for a moment, and she glanced away. When she finally looked back at him, Nathan didn't miss the faint flicker of fear in her eyes. "Lyndon."

***Kai***

Kai stood in the Tin Tower with Tom, Sam, and Iona, leaning back against the wall, his arms folded loosely across his chest. The silence that stretched between them was uncomfortable and tense, and no one seemed as if they wanted to break it.

Finally, Sam opened his mouth to say something, but Kai's phone went off just then and interrupted whatever he was about to say. "Sorry," Kai said with a sigh, pulling his phone out and glancing at the screen. He frowned at the name there, and then answered. "Nathan," he said, listening as the other man spoke.

"Kai, hey listen. Maeve and I are on the way now. Something came up, and I think you all should know. It'll probably be safer if we wait to explain everything once we get there though."

"Hm. Well, that certainly sounds ominous," Kai replied. "I guess we'll see the two of you soon then." He hung up, and looked to over at the other three trainers, who were glancing at him curiously.

"What was that about?" Sam asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Apparently Maeve and Nathan have something to tell us, but Nathan wouldn't say over the phone," Kai explained, pushing himself off from the wall. "He said it would be safer if they told us in person."

"Yeah, that doesn't bode well," Sam said, looking troubled.

"Well, the fun just never stops around here, does?" Iona said dryly.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to leave us a review!**

**-Val**


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